Eighteen months of planning and more than 40 projects: A broad alliance of politics, business and academia has now presented a concrete roadmap for the Emscher-Lippe hydrogen region \u2013 a new decade-long project that is to be implemented by 2030 with an investment volume of around 1 billion euros. The aim of the H2EL Roadmap is to safeguard the region\u2019s industrial base and create new jobs. \u201cAfter the blue sky over the Ruhr, green industry is now coming to the Emscher and Lippe,\u201d says District Administrator Bodo Klimpel, Chair of the Executive Board of WiN Emscher-Lippe GmbH. WiN Emscher-Lippe GmbH is a member of h2-netzwerk-ruhr, and numerous other members of h2-netzwerk-ruhr e.V. are also part of the Roadmap, including the hydrogen user centre h2herten, AGR, Westf\u00e4lische Hochschule and Emschergenossenschaft \/ Lippeverband (EGLV). <\/p>\n\n
The region is pursuing a pragmatic approach: \u201cWe are using the existing resources and expertise to build a hydrogen economy faster and more cost-effectively than other regions,\u201d said Bodo Klimpel. Ernst & Young thus attests the Emscher-Lippe region has \u201cexcellent prerequisites\u201d for establishing itself as an H2 model region, provided a closely coordinated strategic concept is pursued. <\/p>\n\n
\u201cThe H2EL Roadmap shows the way to\nclimate neutrality with green hydrogen and, at the same time, will lead to a new quality of life through\nsupply concepts for neighbourhoods and new mobility,\u201d\nsaid Gelsenkirchen\u2019s Lord Mayor Karin Welge, Deputy\nChair of the Executive Board of WiN Emscher-Lippe GmbH. \u201cThe pioneering role of\nindustry can pave the way for business relocations and make the consistent\nuse of green hydrogen technologies an export hit from the\nnorthern Ruhr area. The transformation continues,\u201d said the\nLord Mayor. As an outstanding example, Welge cited the \u201cClimate Port\nGelsenkirchen\u201d, where SMEs, inland shipping and large-scale industry are to be gradually converted to climate neutrality in a\njoint project. <\/p>\n\n
Decade-long project <\/strong>as a major undertaking for the region<\/strong><\/p>\n\n At the presentation, those involved emphasised that implementing the Roadmap by 2030 would be a major undertaking for the region\n: \u201cThe goal of climate neutrality poses enormous challenges for industry,\u201d explained Lars Baumg\u00fcrtel, Vice President of the\nIHK North Westphalia. To master the transformation,\nSMEs as well as large-scale industry must have access to green\nhydrogen. \u201cIf we tackle this together now and implement projects\nwith combined efforts, the Emscher-Lippe region can build on proven strengths of the Ruhr Metropolis and become a hydrogen model region,\u201d said Baumg\u00fcrtel, who in his company ZINQ GmbH & Co. KG has already invested heavily\nin climate-friendly technology\n. <\/p>\n\n Ambitious\n<\/strong>targets for hydrogen mobility<\/strong><\/p>\n\n The Roadmap also sets ambitious targets for mobility: \u201cWe\nwant to increase the share of renewable energies in the transport sector, which is currently still 7.3% nationwide, to 30% in our region by 2030,\u201d said Bernd Tischler, Lord Mayor of the City of Bottrop and Deputy Chair of the Executive Board of WiN Emscher-Lippe GmbH. In 2030, 1,000 trucks, 120 buses and 100 refuse collection vehicles are to be powered by fuel cells\n and at least one hydrogen refuelling station is to be available in every city. \u201cTo this end, we will\napply for further funding\nfrom the Federal Ministry of Transport (HyPerformer).\u201d <\/p>\n\n Infrastructure <\/strong>as a key building block for a green\nindustrial region<\/strong><\/p>\n\n Regional President Dorothee Feller gave an outlook on the next steps. The key building block on the path to a green industrial region is the use and expansion of infrastructure: even now, Germany\u2019s longest hydrogen pipeline originates in the Emscher-Lippe region. The federally funded GET H2 project will create a publicly accessible network that supplies industry with green hydrogen from the Emsland and, in the longer term, connects the Emscher-Lippe hydrogen region with the North Sea ports of Rotterdam, Antwerp and Wilhelmshaven and with the Rhineland. \u201cIf we want to use hydrogen to preserve jobs in energy-intensive industries, create new jobs and achieve climate targets, we must not think in terms of regions alone. It will be crucial to overcome national and regional borders along value chains and connect cooperatively. As Regional President, I also see it as my task to support this transformation and initiate networking,\u201d said Dorothee Feller. <\/p>\n\n Hydrogen Summit <\/strong>and roadshow in autumn<\/strong><\/p>\n\n The perspectives are to be further developed and specified on 4 October at the former F\u00fcrst Leopold hard coal mine in Dorsten at the Hydrogen Summit, to which the Regional President is inviting participants. On the way there, there will be the opportunity to get to know specific projects as part of a roadshow, for example on 14 September at the chemical park in Marl. <\/p>\n\n For project-related enquiries:<\/strong> <\/strong>Hydrogen coordinators Emscher-Lippe:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n Dr Babette Nieder Dr Klaus Rammert-Bentlage